Jurgen Klopp says he will not do any more business in January, but another opportunity could arise
Brighton & Hove Albion are definitely tired of the Chelsea scene. Signing Mark Cucurella for £56m in early August and hiring manager Graham Potter a month later, Londoners are looking to get back to shopping on the south coast. The Belgian joined Arsenal in a £21m move last week after reports of interest in Leandro Trossard
They also seem tired of responding to Londoners, who continue to look for possible replacements in the face of massive bid price hikes. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is one of these targets, writes the Daily Mail. His versatility in attack and midfield already make him a potential replacement for Trossard and could be another option in the engine room if Brighton use Caicedo. With his contract expiring this summer, the England international is set to leave Liverpool at the end of the season. However, according to the Daily Mail, he could end his career at Anfield six months early if the Reds are willing to sanction his departure on a free transfer. With Liverpool considering such a departure due to their midfield issues this season, they need a replacement. However, Jurgen Klopp’s stance throughout the month has been that he would like Cody Gakpo to be the club’s only off-season signing. But given their interest in Caisdo, could the Reds use Oxlade-Chamberlain to complete a potential deal a week before the end of the transfer window?
Liverpool are huge admirers of the Ecuadorian and reportedly got in touch with his representatives earlier this month. However, it has also been suggested that they are behind Chelsea in such a search. But if the Londoners are struggling to get such a deal done, the Reds could suddenly step in. It finally happened when Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gacpo were signed as they sought to join their Premier League rivals.
If Brighton prevent Chelsea from signing Caicedo after Cucurella and Porter were already lured to Stamford Bridge, the Seagulls’ asking price could ease their calls for alternative clubs. If they show any serious interest in Oxlade-Chamberlain then time will run out before the transfer window closes and offering the midfielders as bargaining chips could make such a deal with Liverpool even better for both clubs.
Admittedly, the midfielder’s sacking would lead to red-hot local numbers at Premier League and Champions League clubs. But with the 29-year-old due to leave in the summer anyway, Liverpool are planning to increase their fee.
Caicedo, meanwhile, is still considered an under-21 player and therefore not required to register for the Premier League this season, while Oxlade-Chamberlain has been dropped from the Champions League squad for the first half of the season and suspended as a result. his retirement will erase one of the maximum three changes allowed for the Reds.